geunyeoneun bimireul jal jikineun pyeoniraseo jungyohan iyagido mitgo hal su isseo.

She tends to keep secrets well, so I can trust her with important things too.

Breakdown of geunyeoneun bimireul jal jikineun pyeoniraseo jungyohan iyagido mitgo hal su isseo.

• 하다: to do
• ~을: object particle
• ~는: topic particle
• ~도: additive particle

Questions & Answers about geunyeoneun bimireul jal jikineun pyeoniraseo jungyohan iyagido mitgo hal su isseo.

What does -는 편이다 mean in 지키는 편이라서?

-는 편이다 means to tend to..., to be the type that..., or to be rather....

So 비밀을 잘 지키는 편이다 means:

• she tends to keep secrets well
• she’s the kind of person who keeps secrets well

It sounds softer and less absolute than just saying 비밀을 잘 지킨다, which would sound more direct and definite.

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Why is it 지키는 편 and not 지킨 편 or 지켜는 편?

Here, 지키는 is the verb form used to modify the noun 편.

• 지키는 편 = the side/type that keeps
• 지킨 편 would sound like the side that has kept, which does not fit the usual pattern here
• 지켜는 편 is not correct grammar in this structure

So the standard expression is:

• V-는 편이다 for action verbs
  
  • 먹는 편이다
  • 운동하는 편이다
  • 비밀을 잘 지키는 편이다

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What exactly is 편이라서?